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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. content — the amount
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — low music
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lean — to bend
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bass — the fish
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chip — to eat
  19. content — happy
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. lean — thin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pit — in a race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com